LITTLE ROCK, Ark — This week one of the best meteor showers of the year will peak on the night of Dec. 13-14! If you have never seen a meteor or “shooting star” this will be your chance!
There are several meteor showers that happen through the year, but the most notable and significant ones that are worth checking out are the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December.
This year the Geminids are going to be spectacular because the moon will not interfere and won't wash out any of the fainter meteors.
To see the meteor shower you need to have a dark, clear view of the sky, especially looking east where the constellation Gemini is located. This is where the meteors may seem to travel from, however, you will see meteors in any part of the sky.
To give yourself the best chance at seeing meteors, look where you have the darkest view. If you're in a city, travel away from the light pollution glow for a better show.
Get comfortable, because you should spend at least 30 minutes viewing the sky to see several streaks of light zip through the darkness as your eyes adjust. Some will be very faint, while others might surprise you and glow for few seconds before disappearing.
If you are really lucky, one meteor could be so bright it casts shadows! THV11 meteorologist Nathan Scott said that he's only seen that once in his life and described it as a surreal experience.
Since you will be looking up at the sky, the best way to view the shower is to lay back on a chair or lay on a blanket with a sleeping bag.
There is no need for a telescope or binoculars. Just scan the sky with your naked eyes and try not to blink too much. If you blink you could miss them. The best thing about viewing a meteor shower in winter is the mosquitoes are not out. Temperatures will likely be in the 30s, so layer up because it will be cold!
The best time to check out the meteor shower will be Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The key factor in seeing as many meteors as possible will be clear skies and getting away from any light source.
So. how many meteors could you possibly see?
If you live in a city, you will have the chance of seeing only the brightest meteors, which will range from 1-10 per hour. It'll be closer to one meteor per hour in areas like downtown Little Rock for example.
In the suburbs, you could expect to see 5-20 meteors as a potential range.
In more rural areas away from light pollution, 40-60+ meteors per hour will be possible.
Those enjoying the darkest night sky, for example in the Buffalo River Wilderness areas of Newton and Searcy counties, could witness a spectacular show of 80-100+ meteors per hour!
Unlike most meteor showers, this event was not caused by a comet, but an unusual asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon that crosses Earth’s orbit every few years leaving behind a trail of space debris.
As the Earth passes through this field of dust and rock, those pieces burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere causing vivid streaks of light. Most are just a grain of sand, but some can be larger than a pebble resulting in a bright light that produces a trail lasting for a few seconds.
Let’s hope for clear skies because right now it does appear there will be high to middle clouds in parts of the area for the big show. Any type of clouds can ruin the show.
Keep track of how many meteors you see, and enjoy this amazing night sky event!